Allegiant (New Multiple-Chapter Ending)
by sydbyd53
Summary: This is my version of the Allegiant ending. It is a couple chapters longer than the original ending and a little happier :) I tried to include as many of the popular fanfic endings as I could into one. For example, Tris and Tobias both go through Tris's fear landscape together in Ch3. It also includes many direct quotes from the book. Please enjoy, and feel free to write reviews!
1. Chapter 1

TOBIAS

When we reach the outer limits of the city, it begins to snow again, large, light flakes that swirl in front of the headlights. I wonder if Tris is watching it sweep across the pavement and gather in piles by the airplanes. I wonder if she is living in a better world than the one I left, among people who no longer remember what it is to have pure genes.

I wonder.

We walk through the abandoned security checkpoint without stopping. On the other side, I see Cara. The side of her face is badly bruised, and there's a bandage on her head, but I barely even notice it. The smile on her face is shining so brightly, I know everyone must have succeeded.

"We did it!" She said joyfully. Christina grinned and tackled her in a hug. I smile, but there's still one person missing.

"Where's Tris?"

But, then I see her. I see her rounding the corner, her eyes bright and her cheeks flushed and her small body full of power and strength, standing in a shaft of light just as she was in the atrium, when I last saw her.

And at that moment, I know I will never love anyone as much as I love this girl standing before me.

She runs up to me and presses her lips against mine, and I can't help grinning while I kiss her. My arms snake around her back and I pull her closer to me.

She breaks away and smiles. "I can't believe it actually worked."

"Of course it did. You knew it would."

She laughs carelessly. "Yeah, that's true. So. . . how did it go for you?" Her smile morphed into a more guarded frown. "Your mom. . . or your dad?"

A small smile crept back onto my face. "Neither."

"But, but how?"

"I talked to Evelyn, and I told her she had a choice. If she let the whole crusade go, then I could "be her son again". And Tris, she chose me!"

I expect her to be happy, but her expression is still guarded. "Are you sure you can trust her? I'm not so sure I would."

Of course Tris wouldn't trust her. I can't expect any other reaction from her. "We'll see if she keeps her word, I guess."

Tris nods solemnly, and then we hear Cara and Christina calling us. I grab Tris's hand and we walk back toward them.

They have me explain how I got Evelyn to comply, and they are both astonished. Frankly, I am too, but I'm glad that she finally chose to do her job as a mother again.

Then, they ask how Tris did it. I turn toward her, since I am wondering that myself.

Tris clears her throat, and then begins to tell her story. "Well, you all know that I went into the death serum instead of Caleb."

I frown. "No, I didn't." How could she? Tris wouldn't go in instead of Caleb.

No, of course she would.

She shrugs. "Well, I did." And she continues to tell the entire story of how she single handedly saved us all.

TRIS

I feel the serum clinging to my skin like oil, but the darkness recedes. I slap a heavy hand over the floor and push myself up.

Bent at the waist, I shove my shoulder into the double doors, and they squeak across the floor as their seal breaks. I breathe clean air and stand up straighter. I am there, I am _there._

But I am not alone.

"Tris!"

I hear my brother's voice behind me, and his heavy footsteps echo on the tile floor. "Tris, I'm here."

I turn around in astonishment, and I see his innocent face staring back at me. "Caleb! What are you doing? You could be killed!"

He shook his head. "The death serum already wore off, after it thought it killed you. So now you're alive, and I'm alive, and the chances of us winning are now in our favor."

A single tear of happiness drips down my cheek. I love my brother, I have made the right choice, and he is here, and we will survive.

But then, I hear another voice behind me.

"Hello, Tris."

We both turn around slowly, and I see David's sadistic expression staring back at me. "Wow, your brother came back to rescue you, how touching! But I'm afraid you still will not be able to succeed."

"What are you talking about?" I mumble. I was so sure five seconds ago, but now doubt and fear clings to me like the serum that almost killed me.

"Tris, how can you steal four virus devices while I have you at gunpoint? I'm very smart, you know."

Confusion sweeps me over. How is he here? And he must think that I am here to steal the virus devices. I use this to my advantage.

I step toward the black device that will release the memory serum, and away from him. "I know what you did." I say accusingly. "I know you designed the attack simulation. I know you're responsible for my parents' deaths- for my _mother's_ death. I know."

"I am not responsible for her death!" David says, the words bursting from him, too loud and too sudden. "I _told _her what was coming just before the attack began, so she had enough time to escort her loved ones to a safe house. If she had stayed put, she would have lived. But she was a foolish woman who didn't understand making sacrifices for the greater good, and it _killed_ her!"

I frown at him. There's something about his reaction- about the glassiness of his eyes- something that he mumbled when Nita shot him with the fear serum- something about _her._

"Did you love her?" I say. "All those years she was sending you correspondence. . . the reason you never wanted her to stay there. . . the reason you told her you couldn't read her updates anymore, after she married my father. . ."

I turn around and see Caleb's confused expression. He opens his mouth as if to say something, but I shush him.

David sits still, like a statue, like a man of stone.

"I did." he says. "But that time is past."

That must be why he welcomed me into his circle of trust, why he gave me so many opportunities. Because I am a piece of her, wearing her hair and speaking with her voice. Because he has spent his life grasping at her and coming up with nothing.

"My mother wasn't a fool." I say. "She just understood something you didn't. That it's not sacrifice if it's someone _else's_ life you're giving away, it's just evil."

Caleb takes a step closer to me and takes my hand. I smile graciously at him. "She taught me all about real sacrifice. That it should be done from love, not misplaced disgust for another's genetics. That is should be done from necessity, not without exhausting all other options. That it should be done for people who need your strength because they don't have enough of their own. That's why I need to stop you from 'sacrificing' all those people and their memories."

And I know, in that moment, that there are always options. Tobias must decide between his mother and his father. We must decide what action to take every day of our lives. How to make the world a better place for all of us. We must decide whether the city can be run by factions, or if we must be set free. We must decide if it matters whether we are genetically pure or damaged. And I know that my friends and leaders need me. I have learned so much from the people I love that I must help make decisions for the rest of them. And Tobias, he has given up so much for me. Not thinking of him would be selfish of me. Finally, I have realized that I have so much longer to live, and so much more to do. I am selfless, I am brave.

David stares at me for what seems like a lifetime. His expression is hard at first, but then it softens. "You have her eyes." He murmurs. "Hard and unyielding, but they do soften. I can see it in you. I loved your mother for her bravery and her wisdom that she inherited at such a young age, and I see you've done the same."

He stands up, a little shakily, and for the first time, I see the hint of a sad smile grow on his face. "I have done many things that I regret, Tris. I have not learned from others, but instead I have stuck to what I believe a little too firmly. And it caused your mother to die, and many people to be treated wrongly because of how they were born. Humans are not an experiment, and I've always known that, but look what I've done anyway!" He hangs his head and takes a deep breath. "I have made myself a monster. But if my last act is a brave and selfless one, can I be forgiven for all I've done to get here? I want to be." He breaths shakily. "I can." He raises his gun to his forehead.

"I believe it."

The bang was the last thing he heard.


	2. Chapter 2

TOBIAS

I stare at her, unable to process what she just told me. She looks up at me, and I can see the wisdom beyond her years right behind her eyes, and I can't help pressing a kiss to her forehead.

"And then what happened?" Cara asks.

Tris shrugs. "I pressed the button. I got Caleb to safety, and the doctors came and got David." She shuddered.

I wrap an arm around her. "You did the right thing, Tris."

"I know."

Christina and Cara congratulate her some more, and then I take her to my room so we could have some time alone. Her hair is hanging in long, tangled strings along her back, and the skin under her eyes is purple, so I turn on the bath for her. I remember the first time I did this, the first time she told me she loved me. She seems to be remembering too, since she smiles up at me and whispers in my ear, "I love you more than anything."

I grin. "I'll be your family now."

She takes off her jacket so all she has on is a loose shirt and shorts. I test the bath water and help her step in. She sits on the side and lets her feet splash in the water. I'm feeling mischievous, so I splash her back. She giggles and throws a handful of water at me. Soon, we are both soaked, the water running down our arms, but I don't care, I don't care. My shorts are already wet, so I sit in the tub, in the warm water. She sits next to me and rests her head on my chest. And I have the feeling that nothing is better in the world than this.


	3. Chapter 3

TRIS

We go back to the broken city in groups of five. In our group, there is Tobias, Caleb, Cara, Christina, and I. No one knows what they're doing, but the city is restrained. No one has tried to become a ruler because they don't know anything anymore. We have a big task ahead of us.

Christina stops by the trains that lead to the Dauntless compounds. She looked up and grabs my hand. "I think we should go in." She offers. "I miss this place, and I don't want to see it run over by anyone."

I nod. I grab Tobias with my other hand, and we all start to walk up to the trains with Cara and Caleb behind us. Tobias rubs circles into my palm with his finger, and it releases tension I didn't know was there.

I hear the familiar sound of the train approaching, and Tobias and I begin to run. Christina is right behind us, and Cara and Caleb follow our lead. We jump in together with the wind beneath our feet. I pull the rest in, and Caleb jumps without my help. I am proud of his newfound strength.

Tobias and I sit together in the corner. I am reminded of all the times we have been here together before, when he snuck me out in the middle of the night to the Erudite compounds, when we were heading toward Amity with Marcus and Caleb, and now here, when we are once again on the brink of something new. He looks at me with a smile in his eyes, and presses his lips to mine softly. I return the kiss, and he tastes like water and fresh air. My arms find themselves behind his head, pulling him closer to me. And it helps me realize that I never have to let go. He is mine now and forever.

Once we are in the Pit, I hear the eternal roar of the chasm and the silence that surrounds it due to the emptiness of the Pit. I look up, and something draws me toward the chasm stairs. Christina nods to me, and I pull Tobias up the stairs. He starts to ask where I'm going, but I shush him. We climb the stairs by ourselves while the others walk along the floor of the Pit.

I decide that I want to go through my fear landscape again. I have gone through so much since I was in there in the first place, and I want to see if my fears have changed. Or if the number has changed.

When Tobias realizes what I intend to do, he tries to pull me back. "Tris, you don't need to do this."

I shake my head. "Yes, I do. And I want you to come with." I know it won't take much for him to agree with me. He never coddles me.

He gazes at me with wonder in his eyes, and finally breaks out into a smile. "When did you become so brave?" He teases me.

"Somewhere along the line." I laugh. I inject the serum into my neck, and he does the same. Within seconds, the room before me disappears, and Tobias's grip on my hand grows stronger. As the scene in front of me begins to change, I start to feel nervous about it. What if my seventh fear is still there, my fear of intimacy? I was sure that I had overcome it, but just the fact that I am worrying about it means it might still linger. I take a deep breath and try to push those thoughts away. I have a daunting task ahead of me, and Tobias is by my side.

The ground beneath us changes. Grass rises in the concrete and sways in a wind I cannot feel. A green sky replaces the exposed pipes above us. I listen for the birds that I know are coming. I remember this fear; it was about control and handling my power.

Wings flap next to my ear, and the crow's talons dig into my shoulder. Tobias tries to smack it off right away, but I stop him. "It won't do any good." I warn him. "They'll just keep on coming."

He nods, looking annoyed that he can't help me in any way. I recall that the first time I went through this simulation, I imagined a gun and shot the bird. But now, I still possess a wariness of guns, and I know that won't help. My heart rate starts to increase as I try to think of a solution, all while trying to ignore the birds. Now, there are two on my shoulder and a swarm is flying toward us.

Tobias remains untouched a few feet away, and I realize it's because this is my battle to fight alone. My fear is constructed this way because I afraid of being the only one who is powerless, and I must gain back the power alone. I close my eyes and focus on all the things I have learned since I first entered this landscape, and I slowly calm down and welcome death with open arms.

Suddenly, the birds are gone. Tobias slams into my side, and I see that we are trapped in tank that will fill with water. He seems confused for a second. "Claustrophobia?" He asks.

"No. Weakness. Not being able to escape."

He looks around, and I can see that he is uncomfortable in the close quarters. I wrap both arms around him and pull him closer. "I guess this is a fear for both of us, in different ways." I whisper in his ear. "We'll have to get through this together."

He squeezes me tighter, and water starts to pour into the tank. I wait with my head against his chest, and I breathe in his warm, airy scent. The muscles in his back flex as he squeezes me tighter. The water covers our waists, our shoulders, our heads. Finally, it reaches the top and the entire tank explodes. The setting disappears, and I marvel at how easy that was when we are together.

Then, we reach my third fear. I brace myself for the incoming wave and hug Tobias to my side. A solid wall of water slams into us, and we fall onto a jagged rock. "Pull yourself up!" I scream to him as another wave hits us. I can taste the salt on my lips and feel it stinging my eyes. We help each other climb up the rock and try to get toward safety. This fear is about being out of control, I remind myself. But with Tobias next to me, it seems a lot easier to regain control and climb up the rock toward safety. The scene vanishes as quickly as it came.

Suddenly, we are tied together on a wooden pole. I glance below me and see that there is a pile of logs waiting to be set on fire. People emerge from the shadows, but this time they aren't all initiates. Peter is still there, but so is Marcus, Johanna, Evelyn, Nita, David, and Cara. All people I have tried to stand up to in the past.

We both struggle against the ropes as Peter sets the logs on fire. "Not so brave anymore, huh Tris?" He shouts at me with a sadistic grin. "I thought you were stronger than that!"

I try to ignore his teasing and focus on freeing the ropes. Tobias grabs my hands and pulls them away. "Wait, stop." He says. "This isn't about the fire. It's about you feeling powerless in front of all these people."

I pause. He's completely right, I know. But I'm not sure how to move past this fear.

"Tell them you don't care what they think of you." He advices. "Tell them you don't care if they think you're weak. You're not, you're strong, and you can't listen to them."

I repeat his words in my head. _You're not weak. You're strong. You don't care what they think of you._

I relax against the wooden pole and forget about the fire growing stronger every second, and pretend it's the warmth of a living room fireplace, the warmth of family and love.

The ropes dissolve around us, and we appear in the Abnegation section of the city. I exhale gradually, glad to be almost done. I remember this fear; it was faceless men trying to shoot me.

But that can't be right. I have changed so much since the first time I went through here that I have a feeling this fear might have changed.

Tobias and I walk down the stairs of my old Abnegation house and see my family sitting there. My mother, my father, and Caleb, except he looks awkward with them now that he has grown so much. A tear rolls down my eye. "Mother?"

She opens her mouth to say something, but I hear the click of a gun behind me. There is a mirror across the room that never used to be there, and in the reflection I see the faceless, scarred man behind me, pointing his gun at my mother.

I instinctively duck down and jump in front of them while Tobias punches the man. More appear behind him, but he takes them down easily. I grab the first man and throw his gun toward my mother, and she catches it. She shoots, and I close my eyes.

When I open them, I am back in my room. I take a deep breath, wondering how this can be so easy.

And then I see a second Tobias standing in front of me.


	4. Chapter 4

TOBIAS

I've never forgotten how strong she is.

Lately, I've seen more of her gentler side, her soft gaze when she looks at me, her loose grip on my hand. But now, I am reminded of her hardened eyes when she is in combat and the fierceness of her blows. She is smart too, wise beyond her years. Tris is so powerful at sixteen, I can't imagine how she might be in years to come. I've never been so in awe of a single person.

And the way she handles her fears. I have never been able to get through my fear landscape as easily as she is here. Yet she just takes a deep breath and plows through without my help. Her strength effortlessly surpasses mine, and I couldn't be more proud of her.

After her fifth fear, we are taken back to her room. For a moment, I am confused. I see myself in front of me, as if there were a mirror, but there is not. I glance over at Tris, and her head is in her hands defeatedly. "Why is this still in here!" she mumbles angrily.

Then I realize what this fear is. She mentioned to me that I was in her fear landscape, that she was afraid of intimacy with another person. I was sure that she overcame it, but maybe it's changed a little now. She never told me what exactly I did so I assume I will see it now.

The other Tobias walks toward her with a smile on his face. I instinctively touch my own face, wondering if that's how I normally look. Tobias bends done and brushes his lips against hers, wrapping one arm around her waist.

Jealously immediately burns through me, although I know there is no reason for it. I concentrate on Tris instead, and I can tell that she is trying to figure out how to get past this one. I wish I could help her, but pushing the other Tobias off her probably wouldn't help her much.

She stiffens for a moment when he pulls off her jacket, but then relaxes against his touch. They kiss for another moment, and then it grows deeper as Tris continues to loosen. I feel awkward for a moment, as if I shouldn't be witnessing this, but then Tris pushes him forward onto the bed and kisses him harder, the way she kissed me when she woke me up from the Erudite simulation.

That is all it takes. The scene starts to disappear, and a woman appears behind her. Tris is still a little red faced from the previous encounter, and she clenches my hand tightly as if to apologize. The woman hands Tris a gun, and she shakily accepts it. "Do it." The woman hisses. I try to see her face, but it keeps shifting to different people that have hated Tris in the past, such as Jeanine. Tris's family stands in front of her once more, but this time they look sad.

"Go ahead." Caleb tells her. "I deserve it."

"Do it or I'll kill you!" The woman screeches.

"We love you Tris." Her mother promises.

The woman starts counting down, but I can't even hear her through all the thoughts floating in my mind. Has Tris had to kill her family in here before?

I look over at her, and she's shaking her head. "I have to sacrifice myself." She says. "But what happens to you?"

"I don't care." I say quickly. "It's just a simulation. I can die."

"No! No, there has to be a better way. I'll just sacrifice myself."

"No, we can die together."

She stares into my eyes, trying to look past any deceptions I might be feeding her. But I'm not lying. We have to die together. It's the only way to get out of here, and the only right way. I would never be able to let her sacrifice herself again after the many incidents that occurred in the past.

I vaguely hear the woman say "two", and I step closer to Tris and wrap my arms around her. "We'll do this together."

She takes a deep breath and presses her head to my chest. "I love you."

"One!"

I hear a click, and a bang.


	5. Chapter 5

TRIS

I am still afraid.

So many people have grown to look up to me in some sort of way, to respect me, to view me in a high regard. But I still have not overcome my fears.

I am afraid of losing control, of being powerless. I am afraid of not having the upper hand in any given situation. How can I truly be selfless if I cannot give up my leadership? How can I truly think of others when my first instincts are to elevate myself? How brave can I be if I'm not willing to give that up?

And furthermore, I've now embarrassed myself in front of Tobias. He has acknowledged six of my fears in the past, but there are still seven. Will the number ever change?

And to add to that, my seventh fear is about him.

How uncomfortable must he have felt, standing there, watching me kiss another version of himself, knowing that it is one of my greatest fears? What will he say?

I'm proud of myself for going through my fear landscape again. But I'm not proud of what I saw.

When the Dauntless room appears in front of us again, I avert my eyes from him. I can feel my cheeks growing hot, and I wait for him to speak.

He walks toward me and lifts up my chin with his hand. I purposely don't meet his eyes.

"Tris, look at me."

I stare at the wall to my left.

"Tris, I'm so proud of you."

I look at him then, confused.

He smiles slightly. "You are so brave, Tris. My greatest ambition is to be as brave as you are."

I shake my head minutely, not comprehending his words.

"You barely even needed my help. You never paused for a second. You faced some tough things, but you got over them. Even if you have more fears than I do, I will never be as fearless."

I roll my eyes. "That's not true, and you know it."

He sighs. "I'm not mad at you, you know."

I look away.

The silence stretches between us, thin as a wire. I replay my actions over and over in my head. I think about my fear of intimacy, and how I haven't overcome it. The fears of mine that have changed are because I have faced them in my life, and learned how to solve them. In ways, I have grown more than I thought. My wariness of guns caused me to stray from immediate violence, which makes me pleased. But what about my most embarrassing fear?

Truth is, I know exactly why it still remains. I haven't taken any steps in my life to overcome it. I have told Tobias that I love him, and I meant it. I still mean it. I love him more than I could ever imagine.

But have I been willing to give myself to him? Have I ever thought about him first? Would I devote my entire life to him?

I finally look back up at him, and he waits for me to talk. "I've made my decision." I announce.

He raises his eyebrows. "And?"

I grin. "You'll see." I pull him toward the cavern stairs.


	6. Chapter 6

TRIS

A few days later, I sit with Christina in the dormitory. It's strange to be back here after so long, as if I'm still an initiate going through training. She twirls her fingers through her hair and holds a mirror up to her face, checking her reflection with a small smile.

"What is with you today?" I ask her. It's almost like she. . . _likes _someone. She hasn't been like this since the day she told me Will first kissed her, the day I ran to the Erudite compounds because Tobias humiliated me, the day I became his girlfriend.

That seems so long ago now.

She glances over at me and shrugs. "What are you talking about?"

"Christina, you're a really bad liar. You know what I mean." I look pointedly at the mirror in her hand.

She sighs and looks around. When she is satisfied that no one is around, she puts the mirror down and scoots closer to me. I look her straight in the eyes and give her my full attention.

"I, well, I've been talking to. . . _someone_ in particular lately, and I've, well. . ." She gulps and fidgets with her shirt.

"You can tell me. I'm serious, you're awful at lying."

She smiles slightly and finally looks me straight in the eyes. "It's Amar."

Amar. I never really got to know him, but I guess I have a lot to thank him for. He raised Tobias to be the brave, strong fighter he is now, and he convinced me that Tobias and I were good for each other when I wasn't sure that I was going to be able to forgive him.

He's also nearly as handsome as Tobias, and I've never seen him with any other girl.

I grin. "I approve."

That is all it takes. She goes off about how strong he is and how he does small, simple acts of kindness that made her fall for him. How he is so smart and always knows what to do. I concentrate on the light behind her eyes that I haven't fully seen in months, and feel a bubble of happiness for her grow deep in my stomach.

When she's done praising every aspect of him, she takes a breath, and the light in her expression fades for a moment. "And I think it's what Will would want for me." she adds quietly. "He made me into a better, more confident person, and I will always be thankful for that. But he would want me to move on, to find someone that will make me happy again. And I think Amar could be that person."

I smile and wrap my arms around her in a tight embrace. "I think so too." I tell her. "Do what makes you happy, okay Christina? Don't let anything stand in your way. You deserve that much."

She grins and pulls away from me. "And then we could double date."

I laugh and punch her lightly in the stomach.

"What? Amar and Tobias are close friends."

"Yeah, I know." And the joy in her eyes and the contentment she's brought to me makes me laugh again, and we laugh together, reveling in this moment we rarely experience.

When we finally sober up, she looks at me with a new devilish look in her eyes. "So. . .how's you and Tobias?"

"Ugh!" I groan as my cheeks turn pink. "Didn't you just ask me this like, a couple weeks ago?"

"When I threw that awful joke at you about addition and multiplication?"

I cover my face with a pillow. "Yes, that!"

She waves dismissively and giggles. "So, has anything changed in that department?"

I attempt to glare at her, but her hopeful expression makes me laugh.

"Is that a yes?" She wiggles her eyebrows.

"No! Yes! I mean, I don't know!"

"What kind of answer is that?"

I put my pillow down and look straight into her eyes, taking a deep breath. "Christina, I, well, I think I'm. . . ready."

She looks hopeful for a second, but then she chuckles. "Tris, me and _Amar_ would go all the way before you would. I don't believe you."

"Seriously? Just because it was one of my fears? Remember that one of your fears was _moths_?"

She hits me playfully in the gut. "Don't tell anyone, or I swear I will kill you!"

"If you don't believe me, I'll tell Amar!"

"Fine I believe you!" She laughs and throws her pillow at me. I catch it and hide it behind my back. "If you're serious, then I'm proud of you. Overcoming your fears is no simple thing."

"I know." I look down and feel a spark of hopefulness in my gut.

"So have you told Tobias yet?"

I look up to see her expectant expression. "No, well, not really. I guess I'll just let it happen. . . _organically_."

She snorts, and Tobias walks in. His hair is ruffled and he has a new scar on his chin, but he smiles at the sight of me.

Christina gives me a pointed look as she stands up. "I think this is a very _organic _moment, Tris."

I blush and look away from both of them. She laughs and hurries out of the room while Tobias comes closer and sits on my bed.

"Organic?" is all he asks.

I shake my head. "It's a long story."


	7. Chapter 7

TOBIAS

The city is starting to be put back into order. The Amity fields have been dug up and new crops have been planted. The Erudite are in charge of creating new jobs and positions, and they also help assign jobs to those who might want them. The Hancock building has been turned into living spaces, and I rented an apartment for Tris and I to live in. I haven't told her about it yet; I want it to be a surprise.

I drive with Christina and Amar down to our new apartments. Christina bought me a furniture set as a gift, and she loaded it into the back of the car this morning. I look at it now, imagining Tris combing her hair by the nightstand, putting her clothes in the dresser, sleeping on the bed. I become more and more anxious to get there as the time goes by.

Christina puts her hand on Amar's, and he smiles at her. Lately I have been notices many subtle touches and glances between the two of them. I asked Tris about it, and she just smiled as if she knew a secret. Whatever is going on between them, I approve. Although I haven't always liked Christina in the past, she's been showing me the side of her that Tris sees, the side that is a loyal friend and always trustworthy.

We finally arrive at the building. I jump out right away and open the trunk to begin unloading the furniture. Amar raises his eyebrows at my impatience but doesn't say a word.

We help each other carry it up to the fifth floor. I chose a lower floor because I had a beautiful view, and so I was mostly by myself, but still close enough to everyone else in the building. I help Amar with the bed, and Christina positions all the furniture so it looks nice and neat. She also brought some comforters and sheets for the bed, and she puts them and fashions them in a stylish way that I would never be able to replicate. The apartment is small, but after we finish, it looks homely and beautiful. The bed is in the tiny bedroom with a nightstand and the dresser, and there is a small kitchen, a couch, and a table with chairs. I imagine Tris's face when she walks in, and I hope it will be as happy as I expect it to be.

"Thank you," I say to Amar and Christina, and I bow my head graciously.

"Anytime." Christina smiles and touches my shoulder in a friendly gesture. "Do you want me to bring her here, or do you have some sort of plan?"

I shake my head. "No, I know what I need to do." And I think the two of them would appreciate some time alone.

"Alright." She grabs Amar's hand and they walk together towards the stairs. I witness the two of them grin at each other, and he kisses her forehead. Although I never would have pictured the two of them together, it makes me happy to see them like this. And it makes me ache for Tris even more.

My plan is to pick her up after lunch. She is back at the Dauntless compounds still, trying to reconstruct it into a shopping mall with George, Zeke, and Shauna. She hasn't decided what job she wants yet in the community, but I wouldn't be surprised if she chooses something at Dauntless or at Abnegation. They both hold dear memories to her heart.

I leave my apartment an hour before her lunch time and pick up some food in Candor. Candor and Erudite have mostly been combined now into areas of government, but I assume it will include much more in the future. I take the train, which somehow is still running, back to Dauntless. Now it is possible to enter the compounds without jumping from the roof, since members from all former factions have to come here, but some people still choose to jump anyway. I am not one of those people.

I enter through one of the new side doors and walk toward the construction area. They have set up tables for lunch, and the first people I see are Zeke and Shauna, kissing on top of one of them. I look away quickly and try to find on person in particular with blond hair and a tiny frame and stern, beautiful eyes. . .

I see her kneeling down by the chasm, staring out at the rushing water. I can't see her expression, only the back of her head, but I assume she is in deep thought. She places one hand down beside her and sighs heavily.

I walk toward her and slip one hand under her to throw her over my shoulder. "Hey who- what- agh!" She screams as I lift her up and she laughs once she realizes it is me. "Tobias you scared me!"

I grin and kiss her quickly. "I got you there!"

"You sure did! What are you doing here? I thought you were back at Candor, training to be a politician?" She smiles at the last part. She is excited about my new job.

"I came to get you. I missed you too much."

She laughs lightly, joyfully, and kisses me again.

Shauna, Zeke and George finally emerge from our left. "Tobias, I see you've finally decided to show up." Shauna teases me. "I knew it wouldn't take much time."

I scowl at her mockingly and lower Tris back to her feet. Shauna pretends as though she doesn't like me, but I know she is still grateful for the lessons I gave her while we were still initiates. Just thinking about it reminds me how far we have both come since then.

Shauna wheels her wheelchair closer to me. "Are you leaving now? If not, we could use another helper."

"Nah, I'm leaving. And I'm taking Tris captive."

Tris giggles and leans into my side. "Are we actually going?" She whispers in my ear. I nod in confirmation.

George rolls his eyes. "Alright. I'll see you in three days, Tris."

"I'll be there."

I hold her hand as we walk outside. The sun is out again and the whole city looks brighter, fresher, newer. It's a much better world than the one we left behind. I squeeze her hand, thankful for her presence in my life, and she grins in return.

When we get on the train, she sits down and I sit next to her. "Where are we going?" She shouts over the noise.

"You'll see." I say with a smirk. I take her face in my hands and press my open mouth to hers. Her arm snakes around my side, and it reminds me of the first time I rode a train with her, when I asked about her tattoos, when I told her what I suspected about the Erudite.

She kisses me deeper, letting go of all her fears. I take advantage of her newfound fearlessness and press my chest closer to hers, slipping one hand behind her shirt. Her whole body shakes a little from fear, but less than it normally does. She pulls my head even closer to hers, and I have the feeling that it will never be close enough.

Finally, I feel the train slowing. "Tris, I think we're there."

She opens her eyes and pulls back away from me, a hint of pink still remaining in her face. I rest the back of my hand against her cheeks, feeling the heat gathered there, and I tell her "You don't have to be afraid."

She clears her throat. "I'm not. I'm not anymore."

And I believe her.

I grab her hand and we jump from the train, landing on the platform below. We are now at the edge of the former Candor territory and near the Hancock building. I continue to hold her hand as we walk away from the train and toward our new apartment. I start to become nervous and I fidget with my shirt.

"What is it?" She asks.

"Nothing." I smile smugly. "I have a surprise for you."

"A surprise?" She beams delightedly and I take a mental snapshot of her face, hoping I will never go a day without seeing it.

We approach the doors that lead into the building, and she looks up in wonder. "Tobias, what are we doing here?" I can tell by the look at her face that she is starting to guess what the surprise may be.

"C'mon." I lead her to the stairs, and when we reach them, I wrap my arms under her legs and pick her up while she laughs and rests her head on my shoulder. I carry her up five flights of stairs, and I can barely feel the burn in my thighs because all I can feel is her body so close to mine, and suddenly I'm moving faster, impatient to bring her inside.

I open my door and give her a moment to look inside. I could stare at her face all day, and I watch it now as it morphs from confused to surprised to absolutely delighted. "Tobias, is this your apartment?" She asks. "It's beautiful."

"No, it's _our _apartment." I correct her. "I got it just for you. We could stay here together. . ." I say the last part quietly as a new fear consumes my thoughts. What if she doesn't want to stay with me? What if I'm pushing her too far? What if—

"Oh my goodness," She breathes quietly. I glance at her face and am surprised to see the look of pure joy radiating from her, and she looks at me and I am overwhelmed that anyone would ever look at me with that much love. "Tobias, I love it, it's perfect, I love _you_. . ."

She buries her head deep in my neck, and I pull her closer to me. I sit down in a chair at the table and she rests on my lap, breathing me in with her head on my shoulder.

"I can't even imagine how amazing everything's going to be once the city is back in order." She murmurs quietly. "Now, we don't have to worry about who's divergent, or genetically pure or damaged, or which faction is planning to overthrow another." She looks into my eyes with a thoughtful expression. "And we can finally find the life that we've been craving all along."

I remember once wondering what it would be like for Tris and I if we weren't always running from one threat to another, if we could have a quiet life somewhere together. And now, I can finally see it happening. Here. Right Now.

I take a deep breath and run my fingers through her hair. "I love you Tris. I always will."

TRIS

What is it like to be settled in one place?

Back in Abnegation, I guess I experienced that. I never saw any action in my life, never saw more skin than someone's face and hands, never experienced any maturing moments that weren't directly related to serving others.

In Dauntless, everyone was always chaotic. Sometimes, I wish I could have experienced life in Dauntless as an adult with freewill, but would I be able to keep up? After living such a quiet lifestyle, is it so easy to make the switch?

Now, I guess I have both. I can experience the quiet moments I miss so much, but now I have freedom. Freedom is like a wave of fresh air that can never be reversed. And through my choices in the past, I have been led to Tobias, who has improved me and made me into a better person, a person worth living, a person worth loving.

I stare at his face, floating in his dreamy blue eyes, slowly loosing all pretense of control. I deliberately pull him closer and press my lips against his, one, two, three times. He groans impatiently and kisses me roughly, leaving nothing on the table.

I curl his hair with my fingers, anchoring his mouth against mine and letting my lips move with his. He carries me to his bed, _our _bed, and lays me down gently while still kissing me passionately.

I have made so many choices in my life. I made the choice to be selfish, I made the choice to be brave, I made the choice to potentially lay down my life for others out of love. And through it all, I will always choose him.

Every moment of my day, every time I see him, every day I am away from him, I choose him. And he chooses me.

He helps me pull his shirt off, and I run my hands up the familiar flames that cover his side. I don't hesitate in pulling off my own shirt, remembering the look on his face when he saw me bare for the first time. The same look he's giving me now.

He doesn't do anything without my permission, and tries not to push past my comfort zone, and his gentleman approach makes me love him even more and suddenly I want him to push past my own limits. I easily move my hands down to unbutton my jeans, still kissing his jaw, his cheek, his lips.

He pauses for a moment. "Tris?"

"It's okay. I love you Tobias."

"Tris, this isn't what this is about. The apartment and everything."

"I know, but I want to." I tilt his chin up so we make eye contact. "I want you, Tobias."

He stares at me for a moment, and he must see my adoration for him in my eyes, because he shivers and pulls my mouth back to his in surrender. I suddenly recall the moment when I first told him about my fear, back in his Dauntless apartment, and I admitted that I was afraid that I wanted him. He told me that maybe someday we could make it happen. Now, I know it is the perfect time.

My whole life I've wanted to push past the walls of my own city. I've wanted to break down the barriers and see what there is outside the fence. But I never realized the own barriers I had within me, the barricades that no one could push through. I always covered it with my own determination, trying to always be right, and selfless, and brave, and sometimes even someone I was not. But Tobias has found a way to push past, and not only has he broken down my walls but he unlocked my heart and reassured me of my value. That is why I know he is the right one to finally take me all the way, to eliminate one of my fears forever, to be the one person I will always love. I choose him.

Finally, as soon as we have found a new place for ourselves, we eliminate an old boundary in our relationship. He is mine, and I am his, and that night we finally make it true.


	8. Chapter 8

TRIS

The sun peaks out of the windows much too early. The bright gleam wakes me up, and I stare at the white, unpainted ceiling. Tobias is still asleep next to me with one arm beneath me, keeping me close to him. I look toward the end of the bed and see that our clothes had fallen off onto the ground. For some reason, that thought makes me giggle sleepily.

The sound wakes him up, and he tightens his grip around me. " 'Morning, Tris."

I snuggle in closer to him for warmth. The blankets don't provide much for my bare body. "Shh, if you don't acknowledge it, maybe it will go away." I repeat the line I said a week ago when I woke up beside him, the day before he taught my brother how to shoot a gun.

He chuckles and holds me closer. "This time, we don't have anything planned for today." I turn so I can look into his eyes, and he quirks his eyebrows suggestively.

"That is very true. No memory serums to distribute to entire populations. . ." I let my hands wander down his chest. ". . .no Weapons lab suicide missions. . ." I tangle one hand in his hair. ". . .no preparing for battle. . ." I pull his face closer to me so that his lips brush mine when I speak. ". . .and we don't even have to move from this spot if we don't want to."

I bring his lips to meet mine, and he lets me kiss him, but then he pulls away. "Tris, are you. . . okay?" His expression becomes worried. "I mean, was everything okay?"

I roll my eyes. "What do you think?"

He chuckles slightly, but there is no humor in the sound. "You know what I mean. You just officially decreased your number from seven to six, which is something I haven't been able to do in my two years of trying."

I hook one leg around his and move one hand down his strong back. "It was a lot easier than I thought. And I have a feeling it's a lot more difficult to change four to three than it is to change seven to six. Especially when one of the fears is so petty."

"It wasn't petty."

"It was, and you know it was. But I don't have to focus on it any longer."

He lets his fingers slide to my lower back and rest there. "If your fear was petty, then mine are downright foolish. Tris, I'm afraid of heights and small spaces. Nothing gets more pathetic than that."

"That's not true. You are Four, Dauntless legend." I laugh a little at his old nickname. "If you're afraid of it, then it's a legitimate fear."

He sighs. "Whatever you say. I guess I always end up agreeing with you anyway."

I giggle. "You do. And that's why you're gonna agree when I say you have _plenty_ of time to make love to me again." I brush my lips lightly against his.

His eyes darken hungrily. "You won't need to persuade me much for that."

He places his lips back on mine.

TOBIAS

The rest of the day, we are all dopey smiles and lighthearted giggles and loving glances. Christina is the first one to notice once we are back at the Candor headquarters for lunch, and she glances questioningly at Tris.

"Did I miss something?" She asks, her eyes slanting accusingly. "I swear that pigs just learned to fly or something."

Tris just shrugs, her face still beaming.

Christina looks at her with a silent question in her eyes. Tris winks back with a sultry grin, an expression I've never seen on her face before, and Christina's eyes grow huge. She glances at me and then back to Tris, her mouth wide open. Finally she smiles. "Congratulations!" she shouts in my ear. "It's about time."

I see the faint hint of a blush growing on Tris's cheeks, so I wrap one arm around her back and glare at Christina. "Thanks for that."

"Anytime." She grins and trains an eye on Amar, who is eating a couple tables away with George and Cara. "We'll see what happens in the near future."

I roll my eyes and kiss Tris's forehead. She lets her hand slowly trail down my back, and we stand that way for a while. Breathing in each other's air together, not wanting to waste a moment.

**** sorry for the short, uneventful chapter, I have more fun stuff coming I promise! Get excited!****


	9. Chapter 9

TOBIAS

A month later, the construction finally is finished. The Dauntless compounds are opening this morning as a shopping mall for everyone in the city, no matter what faction they previously belonged to or if they are divergent or not. I toured the building yesterday with Tris, Christina and Amar, and it is impressive. My favorite parts of the former compound are still in place, such as the glass ceiling and the carved stairs. Now, railings have been put in place and an elevator has been installed, and the chasm is much more protected so it is nearly impossible to fall over the ledge. I can still hear the familiar roar of the water though, and it reminds me of home.

This morning, I stand by the doors to officially open the mall with everyone else who has been working on it. Tris stands next to me, looking proudly back at the building. I follow her line of sight until it rests on the entrance, which is overly exquisite and invitational with ribbons and bright signs. At first it made me laugh out loud, but now it makes the whole structure even more inviting.

Cara and George stand near the entrance, marking things off a list. I've been noticing that they are together a lot lately and they seem to work well as a pair. The dismissal of the factions appear to have brought happiness to everyone in different ways, whether it's finding a new friend, a boyfriend, a girlfriend, a soulmate, or a new position or job. Just two days ago I saw them kissing by the chasm, and it made me smile. Although they both lost siblings they were close to, they have found peace in each other.

Johanna stands near the front of the group and raises her hand for attention. The talking quiets down until it is completely silent. She puts down her hand and a friendly smile grows on her face. "Welcome everyone," she says in a voice that is quiet but still projects over all the people here. "We are here to celebrate the finish of a project we have all been working on for weeks- the city mall!"

Everyone shouts joyfully and claps their hands. Another thing I have noticed: many of the faction's greetings and ways of celebrating have combined now. I have seen previous Erudite bow to each other, an Abnegation greeting, and the Candor have learned to shake hands and give each other hugs. Now everything is universal, and it is such a relief.

"My greatest thank-you's go first to Cara, for organizing the whole project. They also go to Zeke, Shauna, George, and Tris for doing the majority of the physical work. Also to everyone else who contributed in some way; congratulations, without all of you this would never be finished." Johanna continues.

I squeeze Tris's hand, and she offers me a small smile in gratitude.

"Now, with all of that said, let's open this mall!"

We are hurry toward the entrance to witness the cutting of the ribbon. The honors go to Shauna, and she wheels up to the front with a lighthearted grin on her face. Johanna offers her the scissors, and she holds them up to the ribbon. We all count down as a group, and on one she snips it. After that, I am lost in the shouting and yelling and celebrating that occurs. It feels so wonderful to be part of a single community that we have become, and my heart skips a beat at seeing so many people happy together. I keep hold of Tris's hand as we walk through the crowd, talking to various people and congratulating each other. After that, some people go into the mall, but we gather with all the former Dauntless to make a plan for the rest of the day.

When Tris and I reach the group, Christina has a cunning look on her face that immediately put me in edge. I never used to be afraid of a loud mouth from Candor, but in the past couple months I realized just what she is capable of.

"Attention everyone!" she yells into the crowd of Dauntless. It takes us a while to quiet down, but we do and turn our ears toward her.

"We have decided that we will spend the rest of our day doing something extremely fun, and something that the Dauntless have always done traditionally." She pauses for emphasis. "We're going zip lining!"

My stomach lurches. I have never been on the zip line off the Hancock building. I have seen many people do it before, but never have I dreamed of really doing it myself.

Tris looks into my eyes, and I'm sure she can see my desperation. She places her hand on my upper back and pulls me into her. "Tobias, you can do this." she tells me confidently. "I overcame one of my fears" - I can't help but smile at that- "so you can too. I'll be right there behind you every step of the way."

I give her a pleading look. "Tris, I seriously can't do this. Did you see how I was on the ferris wheel?"

She grins and presses her lips to mine for a quick kiss. "When you followed me on the Ferris wheel, you were brave and confident. I didn't ask you to, but you did anyway, even though you were afraid. And I think that's one of the first moments where I began to fall in love with you."

I stare at her, shocked by her admission, and she just looks back at me with clear conviction in her eyes.

At that moment, Caleb runs up to us. "Tris! I hear you're going on the zip line!"

She glances back at him warily. "Yes, we are."

He shuffles nervously with his feet. "Well, I was experimenting back at the Erud- I mean, experimental labs, and I invented a little simple something that you and, uh, Tobias might like." He pulls out one of the zip line slings, but it's different from the normal ones. There are _two_ slings that have been sewn together, but they've been fashioned to be more sturdy and trustworthy than the original ones. "I was bored one day, and this is what I came up with." Caleb explains.

I stare back at it with dread, but Tris's face is beaming. "This is great!" she says. "Wow, this is so cool! Thank you, Caleb."

He nods, blushing a bit, and hands it to her. She looks at me pointedly. "Now you have _absolutely_ no reason not to go on that zip line. I can go with you."

I take a deep breath. Tris will be with me. I will be fine.

She pulls me in for a hug and runs her hand down and up my back over and over. "Tobias, you are strong. You can do anything, I've seen it. I know you can do this. I wouldn't be asking this of you if I knew you couldn't do it. And I think this would be a great experience for the both of us. Would you do this for me?" She backs up to look into my eyes.

Well, when she phrases it that way, I have to accept. I nod in confirmation, and she smiles and kisses my cheek.

We walk toward the train in a large group, shrieking in excitement and jumping on each others backs playfully. As the train approaches, we all jump in together, an action we are so used to doing, and I sit on the ground next to Tris, her warm hand in mine. She smiles comfortingly at me, but it doesn't do much to calm my nerves. _I'm doing this for Tris,_ I tell myself. She overcame her fear for me, I can do this for her. And partially, for myself. It's time to face my fears outside of a simulation.

While everyone starts running toward the elevator that will take them to the 100th floor, Tris tells me to wait. She runs inside the apartment and is only gone a few seconds, while I wait and wonder what she could be doing. She comes back out with a notecard and a pen. On the front, she writes **FEAR**, and on the back she writes **HEIGHTS.** Then, she crumbles up the piece of paper and puts the scraps in my hand. "Let your fear go." She tells me. Just then, I know exactly what I need to do.

We ride the elevator to the top together, and I slowly get more and more fidgety. I think positive thoughts to myself as I place one foot in front of the other to walk toward the zip line. Zeke is putting the harness on Christina, and she gets in backwards. She has a huge grin on her face and she gives me thumbs up before she sails toward the ground, slowly becoming a black dot.

My stomach starts to grow sick. I turn away. I can't watch.

Tris strokes my back, trying to calm me down, and her touch helps, but I still can't shake the feeling that I am going to fall off this roof any moment. I imagine myself pitching over the edge and shudder.

After the remaining three people ahead of us go, Tris pats my back. "Tobias, it's time."

I shake my head again, and again, and again.

"You can do this. I believe in you."

I look up into her confident face, and finally I exhale and walk slowly toward the edge of roof, squeezing her hand tightly all the way. Zeke straps me in first, head down, and then Tris next to me. I still hold the scraps in my hand.

"Do you want me to countdown?" Zeke asks.

"Yes please." I gulp and squeeze Tris's hand tighter.

"Three, two, one-"

And I'm falling. I'm falling, and I wish I could take it back, but I'm falling, I'm diving toward the ground, and Tris is shrieking with laughter, and I'm screaming in terror, and I'm falling.

And I'm spreading the scraps of my fear behind me as I fall. Letting it go.

And I'm falling. I feel like a bird.

I'm flying.

Finally, the sling moves to a stop. I look down and see the rest of the group clasping their arms together to form a net of bone to muscle to catch us in. I let go of Tris's hand and we undo the straps together, and then we both fall into their arms.

And I'm laughing.

I'm laughing, and Tris starts laughing too, and we're all laughing, and I couldn't have been happier in that moment.

I would never do it again, but I left my fear behind me. I let the scraps float away as I soared toward the ground from an astound hight that I never imagined myself being at.

I did it for Tris. I did it for me.


	10. Epilogue

TRIS

(20 years later)

The air rustles by uncomfortably, marking the change between fall and winter. The ground is covered with leaves of every color and the early morning sky is a creamy shade of gray. I look out the window at the lake, once a disgusting swamp and now a bright blue body of water. It is one of the most beautiful things about this place, I have decided.

A noise behind me causes me to turn around. "Annabelle, would you prefer that I help you?"

My daughter looks up at me with an grateful smile on her face. "I'm trying to fix my hair. That would be wonderful, thank you."

Belle inherited my silky blond hair, except it is slightly darker. She has her father's stormy blue eyes with a light blue patch on the left iris, and I'm so happy they were passed on. I still get lost in their dreaming, sleeping, floating color. Her hair is currently frizzy and sticking out at weird angles, so I smile quietly and take the brush from her hands. "My mother used to help me with my hair too, you know. On my testing day, she cut mine herself."

Belle nods, enraptured by the information I tell her. Whenever I talk about my family or the old faction system, she always listens intently, hungry for new information. I'm proud of how wise she is already, and how brave, selfless, kind, and honest. I'm trying to teach her to honor all important values and fix the mistakes of our former ways of thinking.

I take the brush and gently tug it through her hair, moving slowly toward the ends. Her hair starts to calm down, and soon enough it is nearly straight. I use a serum that my brother invented to smooth down the ends, and then I begin to french braid, lightly pulling in piece by piece. She sits still the whole time and doesn't complain when I accidentally pull too hard or hurt her in some way. I finally finish and tie off the end. She turns around to face me, and I am astounded once again by her beauty. She is much more beautiful than I ever was. She shows off many of her dad's features, although she has the shape of my eyes, slightly too big but very expressive. She blinks up at me and asks "How do I look?"

"You look absolutely stunning." I reply with complete honesty. "Wait, let me get you something." I run to the bathroom and grab an eyeliner pencil of that we save for special occasions. "Let's put on a little makeup."

She visibly brightens at the thought of makeup, and she lets me apply the black pencil to her eye. I think of the time that Christina put eyeliner on me, claiming she wanted me to be noticeable, not pretty. Now, as I put it on Belle, she is equally both, and it makes me beam with pride.

When I finish, she thanks me and runs to her room to get dressed. There are still parts of her that are childish and small, resembling how I appeared when I was younger. But there are also parts of her that is very mature and adult-like, sometimes so much that I forget she is still a child.

Before she comes back, Tobias strolls into the dining room with his bathrobe on, appearing to have just gotten out of the shower. "Good morning," he greets me, and he presses his lips against mine for a short kiss. His hair is still wet from the water, and water drops fall onto my palm.

I smile back at him. "Good morning yourself. Are you excited for today?"

"Yes, this is very exciting. Annabelle will probably be very nervous."

"Yes, but I think she'll be fine. She's strong."

"A trait she took directly from you." He grins back at me.

A small blush spreads on my cheeks, and I wave off the compliment. After twenty one years of being with Tobias, I still love him as much as I did the day he washed me in the Abnegation bathtub and I uttered those words to him for the first time. He still brings a smile to my face and joy to my heart every time I see him, and every day I spend with him. I remember an image of my parents smiling at each other while making the bed together when I was a young girl, and I know they would be proud of me now. I have found love with my husband, a selfless kind of love that comes from our Abnegation backgrounds, but also a brave, fearless relationship that takes us to new levels every day. I am also so proud of my children, and I know my parents would be as well.

My son Caden wanders into the room. He still has on his sleep clothes, and he rubs his eyes with his fists. "What time is it?"

"Time for you to get moving. Remember, you're a big boy now." I remind him. "Today's a special day for your sister."

He peers up at me with his small eyes and curious expression. "Oh yeah, it's Belle's testing day." He doesn't really know what that is yet, but he's trying to learn. I hope he will be as smart as his sister someday, and as virtuous as I hope they will both turn out to be. Caden's still seven, but he learns and grows fast, and I predict he will be even taller than Tobias since he is already over four feet tall.

Annabelle comes back into the dining room with a nice, casual floral dress on. Tobias says good morning to her as well, and I prepare breakfast for the family. After we all eat, I help Caden get dressed and then we're off.

Before we leave, Tobias gives Belle a gift. She unwraps it cautiously, and inside I see the water statue that Evelyn gave him when he was 16 and just leaving Abnegation. "I want you to have this." He tells her. "My life changed tremendously when I was 16, and I'm sure yours will too. This is a good luck charm of sorts, and I hope it helps you whenever you need it."

She smiles happily and embraces him. "Thanks Dad, wow, this is really pretty! I can put it on my dresser."

I walk up next to Tobias and sling my arm around his shoulder. "You know, my life changed quite a bit when I was 16 too. I became a much better person, I learned a lot about selflessness and bravery, and I met your father." He kisses me after I say that, and I can't help but smile. We always show our children small examples of physical affection to show them how much we love each other, and I hope to inspire them to find someone they love just as much.

Belle nods, and looks down. "I hope my life is just as successful as yours."

"Don't think in terms of success, think in terms of growth." I suggest. "I know you very well, Belle, and I know you're going to be just fine."

She smiles, and on that note, we walk out the door together as a family.

Tobias and I still prefer to take the train from place to place, so thats what we usually do. Although the factions have been disbanded for decades now, we still follow some of their old rules and customs that are embedded into us. Many of the former Dauntless families join us on the train, and I find Christina and Amar near the back of the train car.

Christina waves toward me, and we make our way over there. "It's a big day for someone!" she announces, looking down at Belle. "Annabelle, are you excited?"

She nods vigorously. "A little nervous too."

"Don't be. You won't be surprised by your results." Christina replies

Amar agrees. "You're smart, Belle. You'll be fine."

Olivia peeks out from behind Christina with a huge excited grin on her face. She's Christina's eleven year old daughter, and she is just as loud and talkative as her mother, but I can't help but love her. She looks up to Belle as a role model, and Belle often gives her advice about things. Christina and Amar have two other children, nine year old twin boys, Owen and Liam. They are close with Caden, and I see them playing together a couple feet away from us.

The train arrives soon after that, and we all get off together. Now that everyone is able to take the trains, it stops at every stop in a civilized manner instead of forcing people to jump off. I miss it sometimes, the thrill I got from landing on my feet. But I know why the change is necessary, or my children would have not been able to ride when they were younger.

We find Cara and George waiting by the entrance to the building. Cara is trying to restrain her youngest, Eva, from running toward us. They have two children, Jacob, who is five, and Eva, who is four. Jacob runs toward Caden, Owen and Liam, and they huddle together in a group. Eva peeks shyly at Olivia and Belle from behind her mother.

"Tris! I've missed you, how's it been?" Cara greets me. She just went on a vacation with her family to another city called Denver, and we haven't seen each other in two weeks.

"I've missed you too Cara! How was your trip?"

"It was great! I've never seen mountains before, but they were huge here!" she explains.

"That's what Caleb told me, when he went to visit." Caleb, my only brother, the one I named my son after, who is now married to Susan.

"Yeah, it was wonderful. I hope we can take another vacation soon, but they're so expensive, you know? Anyway, how's Belle doing? Ready for her test?"

"I think so. She seems a little worried."

"Well, she'll do fine, I know she will."

Just then, we hear the chime of the clock, announcing the time.

"I guess it's time to go." I say. "Belle, c'mon!"

She comes toward me with a nervous look on her face, and her forehead seems slightly green. "Belle, you know this isn't really a big deal, right?" I say to her. "All this test does is say what job would be best for you in the community based on your intelligence and hobbies. It doesn't even have to decide for you, it only points you in the right direction."

"I know, I know." She nods her head vigorously, her cheeks flushing. "I'm just scared I'll get picked for a bad job, like garbage disposal worker or something."

"Well, if that happens, then you can just pick another job."

"Yeah, I guess so."

She sighs, looking down at her feet, and then she looks up confidently. We walk into the building together, leaving everyone else behind us.

My life changed for the better when I was sixteen. I learned so much about myself and about bravery, selflessness, and sacrifice. Now, we have a new system and a new world and new families that we are raising up in the midst of everything. I hope that my daughter will learn as much about values as I did, and will grow to become an even better person than me. My mother saved me in so many ways, I want to do the same now that I have children.

I have overcome all my weaknesses, now it's time for me to let others do the same.


End file.
